Reading is a key part of how you will learn at university. It is how you will gain a lot of the knowledge you need to successfully complete your academic work.

When you study at university level your tutors or lecturers will introduce topics to you in class. They will provide some details, explanation, context and will usually encourage you to participate in discussions, group work, activities and eventually work on assignments, which will count towards your grade. When taking part in such activities and working on assignments it is essential that you start to understand what the key theories and ideas are related to your topic or whether there are related research studies or analysis that provide more insight. 

Reading is one of the main ways you will gain knowledge and deeper understanding of your subject. When you read for university you identify different expert viewpoints.  You can draw on theories, ideas, expert knowledge that you’ve read in class activities and later when completing your assignments.

This can seem like a challenge at first – especially if you’re not usually a big reader.  It can be really manageable if you are selective about what you read, use active reading techniques and manage your time so you do not need to do it all at once.

Work through the rest of this unit to learn how to be selective, what reading techniques to use and where to find relevant reading.